Monday, 7 April 2025

North Yorkshire, 28-30th March 2025

Simon kindly organised a club trip to North Yorkshire for the 28-30th March, staying at Bradford Pothole Club. I've included a write-up of the caves I visited, but with 15 of us staying at the club, we had groups going to different caves each day. Caves visited by other members of our group included Notts, Curtain Pot, Rowten, Simpson's Pot and Aquamole. 

Pillar Holes
I, Andrew, Jo and Morgan began the trip with a relatively short descent into pillar holes. We parked off a small road and spent a chilly few minutes getting ready in a brief shower of hail- thankfully it dried up in time for our walk up the moor, despite a cold breeze! The moorland became noticeably rougher as we ascended, with scattered limestone outcrops and a patch of grooved limestone pavement. Of the three entrance pots into Pillar Holes, Andrew rigged the middle while Morgan split off to rig the left.
Morgan preparing to rig his route

I and Jo followed Andrew down several short pitches, and after a slightly awkward traverse followed by a longer pitch, we reached the bottom of the main route through the cave. Here there was a large amount of loose rubble, some of which contained some rather nice fossils. 

We briefly contemplated taking a look at the horizontal parts of the ‘dig’ which was the only way on, before deciding there were too many loose rocks (we had already knocked several from the pitches on the way down). Andrew returned up top to see how Morgan was getting on while Jo and I waited- it turned out Morgan’s rope hadn’t been quite long enough! Both he and Andrew made it down just as I was heading back up our route after Jo. 


Jo ascending the pitch 

It was tricky not to dislodge the loose rocks at the pitch heads on the way back up and there was a big crash as they finally fell down as Morgan came up- luckily he was last so there was no one below! 


On the way out from Pillar Holes

We emerged onto the still-windy moorland a couple of hours after our descent and headed to Inglesport café for a nice warm drink. 

Lost John’s Cave
Discussions on Friday evening centred around where to go the next day, as most of us were undecided. I was keen for somewhere a bit wet with some horizontal exploring as well as vertical, and Simon suggested Lost John’s. I, Paul, Simon, Ali, Paul and Helen headed there the next day. 

In contrast to the rather steep walk the day before, we had a very easy two-minute stroll to the cave entrance. This consisted of a short clamour down into a stream running between two banks of limestone, which ran into the hillside and was assessable at a crouch. Ali, Helen and Paul split off to rig a separate route allowing us to do an exchange trip, and after a brief time in the streamway we came to our first pitch- only a short one this time.


Simon descending one of the longer pitches

Our second and third pitches were longer, the largest being approx. 130 feet down ‘centipede’. We followed a rather pretty narrow route with grottos visible on either side and had a look at the streamway visible below another pitch. We then began to head back, meeting briefly with Helen, Ali and Paul as we swapped routes. The way back involved more pitches and was a little more technical, although all were shorter than on our route down. 


Descending a short pitch

Reaching the entrance streamway we decided to explore upstream, which was mostly easy walking. We came upon a boulder choke through which I started to crawl- but our progress was halted when a large boulder shifted and we quickly retreated and found our way to the exit. I had a quick crawl down a side passage while we waited for Ali, Helen and Paul to emerge- it happened to be very muddy so I ended up with by far the filthiest kit, which I think amused Simon! We went for a very enjoyable curry that evening. 

White Scar Cave 
Sunday dawned bright and sunny- by far the most pleasant day we’d had. The Dales looked glorious lit up in the sunshine. I was most excited for Sunday’s trip as we were visiting White Scar Cave (for which the favourable weather was particularly fortunate!), which I’d wanted to do for a while. Me, Simon, Helen, Paul, Andrew and Jo parked up outside for 9.30am and after a short wait for the showcave to open, were let in around 10am. 


Early morning sunshine outside White Scar Cave

The showcave itself was rather nicely decorated with some attractive formations. We came shortly to the end of the metal showcave scaffolding, over which we climbed into the main streamway. The water rapidly deepened- it wasn’t so cold as I’d anticipated, and I had a lot of fun floating around paddling in it (though I can’t speak for anyone else!). After what felt like a relatively long swim, we climbed out into a much shallower streamway. 


A disappointingly blurry photo of one of the caddisflies found in a group of approx. 15 deep in the cave, near to 'Carrot Hall'

We spent most of our time following the course of the water, which ranged from ankle-high to chest-deep. The walls were at points decorated with flowstone. 


Simon looking at one of the formations 

We briefly split from the main passageway to take a look at Straw Chamber. After a slippery scramble up a muddy bank (luckily there was an in-situ rope) we emerged into a good-sized room housing a fine collection of straws, some of which were very long. 


The straws in Straw Chamber 

We returned to the streamway for a short distance, coming to a junction. To the left a higher passage led away, the main route lying ahead with the streamway. We paused here while Andrew went a short way along the higher passage and I went a little way along the main route; the ceiling dropped, the water deepening. Simon called after a short while so I turned back, and once Andrew rejoined us we made our way out- we needed to exit in time to head home at 3pm. 


One of the deeper points in the streamway

The journey back felt a lot shorter than it had on the way in- I think in part because the water was flowing with us instead of against us. We stopped for a hot drink at the showcave café before driving back to the hut to head home.

Overall a fantastic trip!

The 2025 SWCC Photo Competition

Back in September 2024, a few of us entered the Hidden Earth photo salon. There were some beautiful images on display, and SWCC members had varying degrees of success. The salon lead to much discussion, which somehow lead to me being volunteered to organise one for just club members. Thank you Claire! Everyone was saying how much they enjoyed seeing the young cavers photography. They seemed to sum up real caving very well. It was decided to have a young members category at the SWCC version. SWCC is very lucky to have a number of exceptionally skilled photographers amongst the membership, and it can be a scary concept putting your photos taken on a phone or old pocket camera from a social trip on display next to a photo that took all day to take, with a literal tonne of equipment, not to mention considerable skill amassed over years. We decided to have 2 "old fart" categories - amateur and pro, hopefully to make entering a bit less intimidating.

Roll on to early March, and I was seriously wondering what I'd accidentally agreed to. I had zero actual entries, and a few promises....so I started sifting through my mildly chaotic filing system, that OneDrive kept trying to re-organise for me. Thankfully, come several days after the loose deadline, I somehow ended up with nearly 100 photos to arrange into a slideshow. Lightroom had an argument with my USB drive, which might have worked with the TV screen on the small common room. Getting the screen to connect to my USB defeated Graham, Brian and Dave, plus Amazon, who sent an entirely different connection lead to the one ordered. Getting the screen to connect to my laptop was somewhat complicated. Then as the final touches were being sorted, my hard drive decided it was all too much and died. The slideshow had to be made again from scratch from a very argumentative OneDrive, and was finally completed at 3.30am Saturday morning. I hoped!

Everyone who wanted to enter prints had complete nightmares! From printing places refusing to send prints to the right town, refusing to print to A4 and flat out refusing to print, it was a miracle we had any prints at all to look at. Members put in huge efforts to submit prints, and I was amazed how the display boards all filled up, and the photos looked great.

With all the tech gremlins going on, it was very nerve-wracking pressing the play button, but thankfully everything seemed to work OK in showing everyone all the photos to vote for. I was very relieved to not vote, as there were too many hard choices.

This blog brings you the top 3 photos from each category - brought to you 4 hard drives later....never again...until next time!

Young category

Gaping Gill by Liam Wright. This stunning image was taken on his phone, and was undeniably first place in the young members category, with almost everyone voting it into top spot. Liam's photo got the top score across all 3 categories. Well done Liam

Gaping Gill

2nd and 3rd place were hard fought for the young members, but Dylan Wase claimed 2nd with his beautiful image of the Courtesan in Agen Allwedd. If you haven't been, its stunning there, but involves the torture of Southern Stream in both directions (a sump prevents a round trip at the moment), some navigational challenges, a tight spot, and its really awkward to take photos of the amazing formations. Dylan did a fantastic job with this image.

The Courtesan in Agen Allwedd

And now, the 3rd places. For the young members, we have this beautiful image by Lizzie Caisley, taken on her expedition to Viet Nam last year. This was taken in Hang Va cave in Phong Na. These incredible tower formations are found in few places on earth and thankfully the cave is controlled access to protect them. Its unclear how these tower cones form, but it's thought to be layers of small calcite "rafts" which form on the surface of the water, subsequently sinking and stacking together, resulting in a unique pointed tower. They are a variety of heights, and maybe get to around hip height.

Hang Va cave in Phong Na


Amateur category

First place in the Amateur category goes to Helen Nightingale, with Snottite in a Lead Mine. The orange colours are very typical in old lead workings. The snottite drop is tiny, and on a bit of main passage everyone stomps past and never notices. The colours on the droplet is from a very thin biofilm, which is hard to see from some angles and light, but a beautiful iridescent purple from a different angle. This photo was taken with an old Nikon D90 DSLR.

Snottite

2nd in the Amateur category was my "Copper Drop". I love the way calcite in copper mines gets stained with secondary mineralisation and leeching of the minerals in the mine. This may have been taken in Coniston, but I'm having technology nightmares , so I may have made that up! This was a phone macro shot, taken with a battered Huawei P20. If you want a cheap caving camera, I'd recommend one of these phones. They fit in the front of your oversuit really well.

Droplet

Competition for places in the Amateur category was tightly fought, and 3rd place was a tie. Sarah Garlick has made an ugly concrete tube that many of us hate look beautiful, with this brilliantly lit image of the Cwm Dwr entrance. A fine example of what is possible with a basic phone and a boring bit of cave that many of us ignore.

Cwm Dwr entrance

Joint third is my macro of iridescent biofilm on a water drop. the drop appears to be partially covered with a very thin layer of calcite, which then has a biofilm growing over the top. the drop must cling to the rock for some time to allow the calcite and biofilm to accumulate. Jo White has had her arm twisted to do a talk about biofilms and other interesting cave sciencey stuff in the Long Common Room over the Easter weekend, so I may need to update this description after Easter. All I know is that cave biology produces some beautiful sights.

Droplet


Pro category

In first place in the Pro Category was Mark Burkey, with Little Neath River Cave. Mark is an exceptionally talented cave photographer, and although photography has never been his normal day job, he's had his images published in numerous books, newspapers and magazines as well as in exhibitions. His photography has won awards at the Kendal Mountain Festival, and he is a judge for the Hidden Earth photo salon. Voters were not unanimous in the pro category, it was a tough class. This image took 1st in class by 1 point above 2nd place and 3 points above 3rd place.

Little Neath River Cave

2nd place in the Pro category was again Mark Burkey. His 2nd placed photo is in Ogof Gofan. This cave is on the Pembrokeshire coast, and a permit is needed to access it via the MOD firing range, but the planning required looks very well worth it and I need to make the effort to go see the place now I've seen this. Mark needs needs no further introduction, but if anyone would like to see more top class cave photos, have a look for his work on Flickr.

Ogof Gofan

Our final 3rd place goes to Mark Burkey with this gorgeous image taken in Pant Mawr Pot. A classic cave that most of us will have visited, and perhaps stomped through to see the fine formations. Here Mark's fantastic composition showcases how beautiful the cave can be where there isn't so much big calcite to see.

Pant Mawr

Special mention has to go to Clarke Friend, with his entry of "Polar Bear" into the newly created "I didn't know there was a photo contest as I didn't read the newsletter, but can I show a photo anyway?" category. We all know cavers don't really do rules, so why not have such a beautiful bear included. Clarke says the weather conditions mean the water is often mirror flat, hence the wonderful reflection. I think we need a "Whose Rules is it Anyway?" category next time, so you can all submit whatever you choose, preferably with the most tortuous and entertaining story about how its related to caving, honest!

Polar bear

Congratulations go to everyone placed, and a thank you to the club for providing 2 free bed nights each as first prizes. We shall be printing out the first placed photos for display within the club soon. Further thanks and well done to everyone who entered, there was such variation, creativity and too many wonderful images to choose from. The other photos will all be featured in a blog coming soon..

Sunday, 24 November 2024

Bailing out on Mendip...

Team: Bob Clay, Paul Collier, Alex Hannam, Duncan Hornby, Barbara Lane, Arwel Roberts & Claire Vivian

Dates: 16-17th November 2024.




Friday

This was a special evening trip to see the amazing Wells Carnival. It is one of the largest illuminated carnivals in Europe and proved to be a spectacular 2.5 hours worth of entertainment for Paul, Barbara and Claire. Fortunately, the weather was kind being cold, but dry. You've definitely missed out if you've not seen one of the Somerset carnivals before, so make sure you rectify that next year!








Saturday

The planned trip was to enter swildons hole, get to the mud sump, pass this and then head towards shatter series.

The Team left to right - paul, Claire, Arwel, Bob & Alex

Paul negotiating his first ladder

Claire navigating one of the pots in the main stream way.

Paul in Barnes loop.

Paul in a tight spot!

Claire passing through a squeeze on her way to mud sump.

Upon arriving at the mud sump the team set about bailing out the pool to lower it so it could be passed. After 1.5 hours of concerted effort the consensus was to abandon the some what futile exercise. We did manage to lower it 3-4 inches but this was no where near enough for the sump to open up as a duck.

Mud sump.

Alex using the ingenious pump, we found that pouring a little water into the top lubed up the pump…

Bob ensuring the pump tube feeds the water into the collector strung up into the ceiling.

Claire and Paul lifting the water into the next collector, back breaking work!

We returned to the main stream headed down to sump 1, passed this and went as far as sump 2, all new territory for Paul.

Paul and Claire beyond Sump 1

Paul and Duncan near Sump 2

In the evening we had food at the Queen Vic in Priddy then a couple of cheeky pints at the Hunters.

Sunday


Sunday was a gentler affair with a visit to GB cave. Arwel and Alex were replaced by David, a mate of Bob’s also from the South Bristol Speleogical Society. We made our way through the system to Bat passage. Some of the team wormed their way into Great chamber.


Duncan soaking up water in Ladder Dig, yeah it was tight!

Paul at some white stall in Bat passage.

Bat Passage

Bob in Great Chamber

Bob belaying Claire back down the ladder dig pitch.

Upon exiting GB cave we were greeted by a torrential down pour, as if we didn’t need more wetting!

Sunday, 6 October 2024

Hidden Earth 2024

Hidden Earth is always one of my favourite events of the caving calendar. Not only do you get to catch up with many caving friends and buy new shiny kit from the sellers in the trade hall, but you also get to go virtual caving and find out about all the fantastic exploration going on both in the UK and around the world by UK cavers. It's a great mix of socialising and serious talks about new discoveries and expeditions. You can then create your 'caving bucket list' for at least the next year from all of these. Or perhaps, that's just me.

This year's event was held at the Pavilion in Llangollen. It was a first for this venue and I think it worked very well overall. Camping was very close to the lecture theatres and only a short walk outside of the town itself. 

Hidden Earth campers outside the Pavilion 

The venue was adjacent to a canal, which several of our members made use to paddleboard on in their down time and multiple students jumped into on the Saturday evening. There was also a steam train nearby and cavers could be seen taking a ride on this on their free afternoons. The only downside was the lack of a caver-run bar, which meant prices were slightly higher than expected without the usual range of ales, but this didn't seem to stop people using it, as the bar was busy whenever I was there. All in all, a great spot and the weather wasn't as wet as it was forecasted to be, so a win-win situation. 

Hidden Earth began on Friday evening for me with setting up the South Wales Caving Club stand in the Trade Hall. It was the first time we'd done this since Covid, so a first in around 5 years. Surprisingly, we managed to bring all the display boards and remember how to put them together. The banners and posters all fitted up well enough and we had club merchandise with us to sell. The stand didn't look too shabby by the time we'd finished setting it up, so thanks to all who helped with that! We made a respectable £258 from the sale of merchandise by the end of the weekend and worked out how to use the Sum Up app on our phones for collecting payments and sending them directly to the club account. 

Jane in charge of the club display stand

But that was not all. We have some very talented members at SWCC and multiple members entered the various salons and competitions across the weekend with several going on to to win prizes. 

Keith Edwards won the Fraser Simpson award for innovation in video  Return to Aquamole

Roo Walters won the BCRA Arthur Butcher award for outstanding contribution to cave surveying with his 3D laser scanning projects.

Sarah Garlick won the art salon with her fantastic hand felted bat

Sarah with her creation

Hang in there Nora!

Kai Trusson, Ellie Davies and Jo White were part of the team involved in creating the rigging topo quilted tapestry, which was highly commended. This was an original idea by Kai Trusson and took 7 months with over 650 hours in total to put it together (77 different rigging topos in total). It is 2.30m tall and 1.50m wide. 22 cavers from 20 different caving clubs around the UK were involved in its creation.


Close up of the quilt. Photo by Sarah Garlick 

Ellie, Kai and friends with the quilt underground in Big Chamber Near the Entrance, OFD.
Photo by Clive Westlake 

Martyn Farr won best digital print (photo salon projection class) with his photo of Xe Bang Fai cave, Laos. 


Cerys Williams won the best junior digital print and the second prize as well

Shadow Puppets in OFD. 1st prize Young Photographer (Digital). Cerys Williams

Mushrooms in Porth yr Ogof. Young Photographer 2nd prize. Cerys Williams.

We also had excellent entries in to the photo salon from Helen Nightingale
Helen and her 5 print set

Cave Pearls in Nenthead by Helen

Liam Wright also contributed some fantastic images to both the digital salon and the printed salon.

Liam and his 5 photo set

Gaping Gill, Main Chamber. One of Liam's digital entries in to the photo salon.

Digital entry by Cerys Williams 

Another of Cerys Willam's digital entries

We also had speakers at Hidden Earth. Graham Christian and Gareth Edwards gave a talk entitled How wet is Wales really. Andrew Macleod and Sophie Hodson also spoke about the Dachstein Expedition.

It was a caving extravaganza and it was excellent to see SWCC represented so well.